Saatchi plans gallery to rival Tate

Advertising mogul Charles Saatchi is set to open a large-scale gallery and museum in London in what is being seen today as a direct challenge to the Tate empire and its director.

Mr Saatchi, 58, plans to open the new attraction between Tate Britain and Tate Modern on the South Bank.

According to reports, Mr Saatchi has recently fallen out with Tate director, Nicholas Serota, and the scale of the project shows he has something to prove to his rival.

The new museum will be located on the first floor of County Hall, in the former Greater London Council chamber and in an adjoining glass-domed exhibition hall. Sources revealed Mr Saatchi hopes to attract 750,000 visitors a year and will compete against Tate Modern by staging themed exhibitions of borrowed works as well as shows of his own artists.

The attraction will open with an exhibition of the Damien Hirst sharks, which were twice refused to Mr Serota for the Tate Modern.

Critics were today doubtful that Mr Saatchi would be able to draw in crowds of 750,000, given his existing gallery in St John's Wood attracts only up to 150,000 a year and the Imperial War Museum has around 600,000.

A spokeswoman for the Art Fund wished him well but said it was unlikely a charging gallery would pull in those kinds of numbers as many in London scrap entrance fees.

Mr Saatchi is said to be unhappy that Hell, a tableau he paid for, was not shortlisted for the Turner Prize, which Mr Serota chairs.

An art critic said today Mr Saatchi felt his gallery had been overshadowed by the Tate Modern. She said: "His supremacy has been undermined."

A Tate spokeswoman denied a rift between the two big art players. She said: "That's great. The South Bank now has lots and lots of attractions."